BUAP FCE Elemento Finito Verano 2016

Chapter 2. Stiffness Method, Spring Element

2.1 Analysis of a Spring System on ANSYS

The steps that will be followed are:

Preprocessing:
1. Change Jobname.
2. Define element type. (Combin14 element, which is a spring-damper element)
3. Define real constants. (Spring Constant, or Stiffness)
4. Create nodes. (4 total)
5. Create first spring element between nodes 1 and 2.
6. Change real constant set number to 2. (This relates to the spring constant used for
elements.)
7. Create the remaining two spring elements.
Solution:
8. Apply constraints and loads to the model.
9. Solve.
Post processing:
10. Plot deformed shape.
11. List reaction forces.
12. List the deflections at each node.
13. Exit the ANSYS program.
Preprocessing:
1. Change jobname: File -> Change Jobname
Enter spring, and click on OK.

Alternative Command Line Entry = /filnam, spring

Also, to enter the preprocessor, at the command line, enter: /prep7
2. Define element types: Preprocessor -> Element Type -> Add/Edit/Delete
Click on Add, highlight Combination, then Spring-damper 14:

Click on OK, then Close. Note that in ANSYS this element is sometimes referred to as
Combin14, because it is element type 14 in the ANSYS element library, and can be used
for both stiffness and damping in a model. For a static analysis, damping has no effect.
Alternative Command Line Entry = et,1,14
3. Define the real constants for the Combin14, which for this problem is only the spring
constant.
We need two real constants sets, because there are two different spring constants in the
system.
Preprocessor -> Real Constants -> Add/Edit/Delete
Click Add, then OK for Type 1 COMBIN14
In this problem, there is no damping (leave CV1 and CV2 blank), but we will define the
spring constant, K, for real constant set 1 to be 1000:

After filling in the spring constant value, click on APPLY. Then, change the real constant
set number to 2, and enter a spring constant value of 500. Then, click on OK, then click
on CLOSE.
Alternative Command Line Entry = r,1,1000
Alternative Command Line Entry = r,2,500
Note: No Material Properties are needed for the Combin14 element. For most other element
types (Link1, which is a truss element, for instance) you would need to enter material
properties. In particular, you will typically need a Youngs modulus, and sometimes a
Poissons ratio and a density.
4. Create nodes: Preprocessor -> Modeling -> Create -> Nodes -> In Active CS
Enter 1 for node number (ANSYS would automatically number nodes if you left this
blank). Enter the location as (X,Y,Z)=(0,0,0). Note that we are entering the locations in a
Cartesian coordinate system. Leave the entries for rotation angles blank. For this problem,
all nodes will be on the X-axis, with Y=0 and Z=0.

Click on Apply. Define node 2 at (X,Y,Z)=(1,0,0), and click on apply, then define node 3
at (X,Y,Z)=2,0,0, and click on apply, then define node 4 at (X,Y,Z)=2,0,0, and click on
OK. These X-locations are somewhat arbitrary, as the results do not depend on the distance
between nodes for the Combin14 element type.
Alternative Command Line Entry = n,1,0,0,0
(or, simply: n,1; missing input is interpreted by ANSYS as zero in this case).
Alternative Command Line Entry = n,2,1,0,0
Alternative Command Line Entry = n,3,2,0,0
Alternative Command Line Entry = n,4,2,0,0
As a check to ensure all nodes were entered correctly, list the nodes, along the top of the
screen on the Utility Menu:
Utility Menu ->List -> Nodes
Click OK and the list will appear.
Alternative Command Line Entry = nlist
If any errors were made in defining the nodes, you can redefine a node, at this point in the
modeling process, by simply repeating the procedure of step 4. Of course, you dont need to
redefine all nodes simply to move one. Just repeat the node creation command for the
incorrectly placed node.
Turn on node numbering:
Utility Menu -> PlotCtrls -> Numbering.
Check on for node numbering, then click OK. The node numbers may already be
showing, but this will force the display of node numbers on subsequent plots.
Alternative Command Line Entry = /pnum,node,1
5. Create a spring element between nodes 1 and 2:
Preprocessor -> Modeling -> Create -> Elements ->Auto Numbered->Thru Nodes
A picking menu appears:

In the graphics window, click on node 1, then node 2, and then click on OK in the
picking menu.
Alternative Command Line Entry =e,1,2
Note that the real constant set number 1 pertains to the 1000 lb/in spring constant,
and by default, ANSYS uses real constant set number 1 when creating elements.
Real constant set number 1 will apply to any element created until the user changes
the current real constant set number, as shown in step 6 below.
6. Change the real constant set number to 2.
Preprocessor -> Modeling -> Create -> Elements -> Elem Attributes
Modify the Real constant set number to 2:

Then, click on OK.

Alternative Command Line Entry =real,2
7. Create the remaining two spring elements.
Create two more elements, one from node 2 to node 3, and one from node 2 to node 4.
This is a little tricky because nodes 3 and 4 are coincident. To create the element
between nodes 2 and 3, choose:
Preprocessor -> Modeling -> Create -> Elements ->Auto Numbered->Thru Nodes
A picking menu appears. Click on node 2, then node 3. A box appears warning you that
there are two nodes at the selected location. It will tell you which of the two (node 3 or
node 4), is currently the picked node. If it says 4, you can choose NEXT, or PREV, to
get the note to indicate that node 3 is currently picked. When node 3 is picked, click on
OK in that note box, then APPLY in the node picking menu. Now, choose node 2 and
node 4. When you select node 4, you might have the same warning situation as before,
because of the coincident nodes. Make sure you have node 4 as the picked node, click OK
in the warning box, and OK on the node picking menu.

This is probably much easier for this example if the command line entry option is used:
Alternative Command Line Entry = e,2,3
Alternative Command Line Entry = e,2,4
Solution:
If entering commands at the command line, to enter the solution processor, type: /solu
8. Apply constraints and forces on the model:
Solution -> Define Loads-> Apply -> Structural-> Displacement -> On Nodes
A picking menu appears. Pick node 1, then pick node 3, and then pick node 4 (you may
have to navigate through the warning previously discussed regarding the coincident nodes 3
and 4). When all three are selected, the picking menu will appear as below, where
Count=3 and Maximum=4:

Then, in the picking menu, choose APPLY, and on the next menu, highlight ALL
DOF, and use the default value of zero (a blank in the VALUE field is a zero here).

Click on Apply. Pick node 2, then click OK in the picking menu. To constrain this
node in the Z and Y directions only, click on UY and UZ. Make sure to unselect the
ALL DOF label! If the ALL DOF label is highlighted, unselect it by clicking on it.
After confirming that only UY and UZ are highlighted, click OK.
Alternative Command Line Entry = d,1,all,0
Alternative Command Line Entry = d,3,all,0
Alternative Command Line Entry = d,4,all,0
Alternative Command Line Entry = d,2,uy,0
Alternative Command Line Entry = d,2,uz,0
To apply the force, choose:
Solution -> Define Loads-> Apply -> Structural-> Force/Moment -> On Nodes
Pick node 2, then OK in the picking menu, choose FX as the direction of the
force/mom, and enter -4000 for the force value. Click on OK
Alternative Command Line Entry = f,2,fx,-4000
9. Solve the problem: Solution -> Solve -> Current LS
Click OK in the Solve Current Load Step Box.
Alternative Command Line Entry = solve
A note should appear in a box stating the solution is done. You may close this box.
Another box with the heading /STATUS may be open. You may close it, also.
Post processing:
If entering commands at the command line, to enter the postprocessor, type:
/post1
10. Plot the deformed shape:
General Postproc -> Plot Results -> Contour Plot ->Nodal Solution
On the box that opens, choose:
DOF Solution -> X-component of displacement
Click OK. The contour plot should appear as shown on the next page.

Alternative Command Line Entry = plnsol,u,x

11. List reaction forces: General Postproc -> List Results -> Reaction Solution
Highlight All struc forc F:

Then, click on OK. The listing appears:

Alternative Command Line Entry = prrf

You can get a hard copy of the information in this box by clicking, in this box (see
above):
File -> Print.
You can also save this information to a file using the option,
File -> Save As.
12. List the deflections for each node:
General Postproc -> List Results -> Nodal Solution ->
Then, select: DOF Solution -> X-Component of Displacement
Then, click on OK, and the list appears:

Alternative Command Line Entry = prns,u,x

You can also print a hard copy of this information (see step 11 above).
13. Exit ANSYS. Toolbar: Quit ->Save Everything -> OK
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BUAP FCE Elemento Finito Verano 2016

Chapter 2. Stiffness Method, Spring Element Lab Practice 01